On Sunday 17th June we will honour our fathers, fathers-in-law, grandfathers, stepfathers and all father figures, for their contribution to our family life and communities.
Many believe that this day of paternal celebration is a modern invention and in part they would be right, but Fathers’ Day does have its roots in our historic past.
When in Rome…
The Romans celebrated their fathers in February every year – albeit only deceased ones. In the Middle Ages, Fathers’ Day was celebrated by the Western European Christian Church on St Joseph’s Day (March 19th), the feast day of the husband of The Virgin Mary.
Portugal, Spain and Italy maintain this tradition today, so why don’t we in the UK celebrate Fathers’ Day in March?
Although the celebration of fatherhood and paternal bonds has roots in the Medieval Catholic Church, there was no real tradition of celebrating Fathers’ Day in the UK. We have the USA to thank for the modern incarnation of Fathers’ Day, a sort of complement to Mothers’ Day. The exact events that led to the establishment of the modern celebration began in the USA about 100 years ago and are much debated. What we do know is that the date chosen was the third Sunday of June and that it is this date that has been adopted by over 70 countries across the world.
Fathers’ Day wasn’t adopted here in the UK until after WW2 and the reasons for doing so are unclear; maybe it was as a result of close association with US troops during the war?
Controversy
There was some opposition to the adoption of Fathers’ Day and many thought it a cynical commercial exercise. Looking at the large number of cards in the shops and the staggering range of gifts we are all encouraged to buy for our father figures, perhaps those opposed to the idea weren’t so wrong after all!
Having said that, we spend significantly less on Fathers’ Day than we do on Mothers’ Day. The website Global Data says that last year UK consumers spent a total of £700 million on Fathers’ Day and that the total retail spend on Mother’s Day was valued at almost £1.4 billion.
Staggering amounts by anyone’s standards.
Commerciality doesn’t have to be part of our celebrations; whether you are popping in to see your dad for a cuppa and a chat, having lunch with him and the family or having a day out, make sure you enjoy some quality time with this important person in your life. Remember that spending your time with your loved one is the most priceless gift of all and that hugs are free to give and so precious to receive.
